The Iranian foreign minister has declared that Tehran intends to persist with its uranium enrichment program, independent of any nuclear agreement with the United States. This statement came shortly after the Trump administration strongly opposed any uranium enrichment as unacceptable.
Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi expressed that American officials can express their views publicly, but Iran remains steadfast in its mission to enrich uranium for nuclear energy facilities, denying any intentions related to weaponry.
Araghchi stated on X that if the U.S. wants assurance that Iran will not develop nuclear arms, a deal is possible, and Iran is open to engaging in serious discussions to attain a solution ensuring this outcome permanently. Nonetheless, Iran’s uranium enrichment will proceed, regardless of an agreement being reached.
“Our stance on Iran’s rights as a NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) member is crystal clear, and there is no scenario in which Iranians will permit deviance from that,” he added.
Araghchi’s comments came just hours after US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff insisted that any form of enrichment represented a “red line” in the nuclear talks with Iran.
“We have one very, very clear red line, and that is enrichment. We cannot allow even 1% of an enrichment capability,” Witkoff told ABC’s “This Week.”
“Everything begins… with a deal that does not include enrichment… because enrichment enables weaponization, and we will not allow a bomb to get here,” he added.
While Trump administration officials had initially claimed Iran could keep a civilian enrichment program focusing on nuclear energy, Witkoff has taken a tough stance against all forms of enrichment since the talks with Iran began.
Iran’s refusal to accept that stance is likely to create friction with President Trump, who claimed Friday that Iran was close to accepting his nuclear deal proposal.
Trump warned that Tehran had to move quickly to accept the proposal or else “something bad is going to happen,” alluding to his previous threats of military action if a deal is not reached.
Trump has previously vowed to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities if a deal is not reached, a threat that Tehran has repeatedly brushed off.
Iran’s nuclear program has become the subject of worry following warnings from the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran was growing its enriched uranium stockpile and approaching the threshold needed to achieve nuclear weapons.
